Monday, November 3, 2008

What's the Cure for Election Poisoning?

What's the Cure for Election Poisoning?
'We had the best ticket ever and did nothing'

I'm feeling sick to my stomach right about now.

I've had this terrible queasy feeling for a while.

It's not what you think.

Sure, I'm totally disgusted with Barak Obama, the far
more evil of the two lessers.

But that's not it.

You bet I am totally unhappy and disillutioned about
the GOP's miserable choice of John McCain.

But that's not it either.

Yes, I'm disgusted that America is almost certainly
going to elect Obama as our President, a man who
holds no regard for the Constitution, the Bill of Rights,
not to mention personal or property rights.

But that's not why I'm feeling so sick.

I'm used to Democrats being Socialists and selling
everyone down the river, rich or poor. I'm used to
Republicans promising to be Constitutionloving tax
and spending cutters, but doing the opposite.

So what if Obama is a dishonest crook?
America hadthat in Bill Clinton for eight years.

So what if McCain is a kinder, gentler Socialist?
What do you call George Bush?

No, I'm so disgusted because my Party, the
Libertarian Party, has failed so miserably to have
any effect at all in this election.

"We never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity. "*

Truly, in an election year, when we had arguably
the very best ticket we've ever had, as far as
saleablility to the American Voter, we did nothing
to take advantage of it.

The Barr Campaign is stuck in Neutral and the LP,
at leastat the national level, and in my state,
California, nothing much at all is being done to
promote what we have to offer to America.

In California, we have the fewest number of
Candidates on the ballot in recorded history.

The least we've had since our founding!

This under the so-called leadership of a CA State
Chair who had 'full slates' of Candidates his priority.

This is the same Chair who has publicly complained
"this job is too hard" (Why did you take it then?) and
"I can't get anyone to help me" (some leadership).

You bet I feel sick.

I've spent the majority of my adult life working for
the LP in one way or another, 20-60 hours a week.

To piggyback on Wayne Root's recent article, I'm
suffering from 'Abused Volunteer Syndrome'.**

"Mister Root is clearly the future of the LP
at the national level. Good looking, friendly,
likeable, ORGANIZED, articulate.. ."

Now it's my own fault, not insisting the things I know
]are needed were in place, but... We need to be prepared.

And we are not.

We need to have the LP on the ballot in all 50 states,
way ahead of time, and not, like we did this time,
operate by crisis management.

Worse yet, fail, then blame others, and then waste
money suing everyone imaginable.]

We need to get more people involved way ahead
of time, phone banking, fundraising, recruiting
volunteers and candidates.

And we need to act like professionals that your
neighbor wouldn't be ashamed of.
(Because we smell bad, dress crazy, have bad
tempers, or support legal child porn.)

But most important of all, we need to stop
reinventing the wheel.

I mean that from two perspectives.

Number one, the 'business of politics' is almost a
turn-key, franchise business.

To set up a solid and successful base ofo perations, we
just need to follow the successful business model
others have already set up.

No creativity required!

Secondly, we have to stop throwing away the work
and effort of this years when next year comes along.

We need to have a legacy plan for this effort.

From Volunteers to Candidates, we ought to set them
all up with guidebooks and guidelines. This way they
don't all get thrown into the water while we hope they
can swim.

Because otherwise they'll give up and not come back.

The LP could have made a very big splash in this
election if anyone took us seriously.

But they don't.

And it's our fault.


Copyright November 2008, Bruce Cohen

*Abba Eban - Past Israeli Prime Minister

** Wayne wearing out several pairs of shoes
campaigning for us, quite successfully; a one-man
army, getting more media than every other LP
VP Candidate in history COMBINED is the one
bright light in this otherwise miserable failure
by the Barr team.

Mister Root is clearly the future of the LP at the
national level.

Good looking, friendly, likeable, ORGANIZED,
articulate.. .

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